Firmware 3.51 now available on Network Update

by Andrew Yoon { Jun 29th 2007 at 1:45AM }

Days after a Lumines exploit allowed all PSPs to be downgraded, Sony has released a minor security patch in the form of firmware 3.51. This incremental update doesn't offer any new functionality. Rather, it corrects the flaw found in Lumines. Those that are interested in upgrading to the latest firmware should use Network Update from their PSPs. Officially, the update includes:

Revisions to strengthen security have been added.

And that's it.
[Thanks, Reuban!]

Tags: 3.51, firmware, network update, NetworkUpdate, update, upgrade

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ratchet the Lombax @ Jun 29th 2007 2:07AM

Wasn't there some game that would crash with 3.50? I can't remember the name of it right now. How do we know that the update wasn't to just fix that and not to stop the Lumines exploit? It seems like they would need more time to fix the exploit since it hasn't been out but like 3 days.

clankman @ Jun 29th 2007 2:11AM

They fixed the GTA exploit in the about this amount of time.

I would get this, but I don't plan on downgrading, and I don't wanna just waste 15 minutes to fix something I'm not gonna do.

PSP-Retro @ Jun 29th 2007 2:43AM

Actually it's been 7 days since the Exploit first appeared. That is plenty of time for Sony to research and try to exact their Nazi Like control over the PSP.
Homebrew will not be denied!

kingofwale @ Jun 29th 2007 2:56AM

haha, nice try sony, nice try. but too bad it wasn't a week or so earlier, eh? Blame Capcom for it. trust me, we all hate Ubisoft for a reason. (this or that). :)

merc25 @ Jun 29th 2007 4:06AM

Actually, this might be because of Capcom, their Capcom Puzzle World game wouldn't run Puzzle Fighter on 3.30, it was corrected in 3.40, but 3.50 made it not work again.

Protome @ Jun 29th 2007 4:39AM

Bah, I'm not upgrading. As soon as I feel confident that I wont brick my PSP, I'm downgrading it.
Andrew, don't suppose you could do a feature on must-have hombrew programmes for the PSP?

Ratchet the Lombax @ Jun 29th 2007 4:49AM

@merc25

That's what I was thinking, I knew there was a game that crashed in 3.50 but couldn't remember the name of it.

Anyway I will never have an official firmware again, not because of the piracy thing I'm not into that. I just like the "Open Edition" firmware because you can customize the heck out of it. I have custom icons, bootscreen, gameboot, you name it I've changed it. I just like messing with my PSP to make it unique. I do have a few PSP games on my memory stick, but I have bought the actual UMD versions too. I just don't like carrying around 5 or 6 discs and risk loosing or damaging them. I think of it like when I buy a music CD and rip it to my iPod.

Brandon @ Jun 29th 2007 8:22AM

For a while it seemed like sony wasnt really bothering with x.x1 type updates anymore with the psp, and focusing on the functionality updates. But i guess this was a hole that they wanted to patch fast.

To sony, I'm not a homebrew user and I understand your concerns with piracy, but If you want the average person to bother with a security update, put something in it that gives us the incentive to do so. Like a new feature, or added support, or SOMETHING.

Kspraydad @ Jun 29th 2007 8:46AM

Wow...a company updating its machine to make sure all current software runs AND protect its property rights becomes 'Nazi like control' and doesn't get challenged?

Dude...go out and talk to a Jewish Grandma or something before throwing that kind of language around. As far as I know SONY isn't hunting you down and gassing you.

T3chn0 @ Jun 29th 2007 9:11AM

@PSP-Retro

Sony has no problem with homebrew users. in fact sony loves that people have found creative uses for the psp what sony has a problem with is people who use open firmwares to download psp games and play them without paying...
Its not nazi like of a company to secure their own product. if sony didn't do anything to prevent piracy developers would not make games for the system.

Ratchet the Lombax @ Jun 29th 2007 9:33AM

I just hope they come out with some better games soon, because the last games that I liked were Burnout Dominator and Ratchet&Clank SM. I am looking forward to God of War, but otherwise there's not really any other games I'm really anxious about.

Blazingluke @ Jun 29th 2007 10:15AM

This sucks! I was excited when the Lumines exploit was announced, hoping for new features on my recently acquired PSP. I realize that I've been spoiled, just jumping into the PSP world at version 3.5, put there are so many cool things that can be done. Like in-game screenshot-taking would be cool. Or a local weather section on the XMB or being incorporated into the console's Home itself.

But I thought this might happen too. A minor update just to fix the Lumines exploit. I'm sticking to official firmware, but I won't be updating anytime soon.

I hope the homebrew teams keep up the good work! Forcing Sony's hand is always a good thing.

Tim Sayre @ Jun 29th 2007 10:30AM

Downgraded yesterday. Looks like it was just in time. I've been hesitant to do it, and pushing x to agree to accept the risk made me sweat for sure. Downgraded to 1.5 and then upgrade to 3.40 with no problems. Now I just have to figure out what homebrew is worth installing.

tobin92 @ Jun 29th 2007 10:58AM

People aren't going to upgrade for hits. Maybe if Sony adds some features that people want ,people will upgrade and piracy will end.....for a week or 2.

Aaron @ Jun 29th 2007 11:05AM

Good down with homebrew!!!!

ihateemo @ Jun 29th 2007 1:53PM

Crap, does this mean I'm too late to get the 3.5 firmware and do the downgrade? I was going to do it this weekend, but haven't had time this week to get my firmware up to date. :(

Xarek @ Jun 29th 2007 2:32PM

When will the 3.51 downgrader come out?
JUST KIDDING.

It would be kind of sad that noobs who want homebrew missed out on the 3.5 downgrader. Thats probably the highest we will ever go.

john @ Jun 29th 2007 2:32PM

I had always been hesitant to downgrade afraid of bricking my psp. I finally gathered the courage and downgraded it on tuesday now I'm glad I did. I found out about the lumines exploit and immediately took advantage. Now my psp is on version 1.5 and I couldn't be happier.

GoBob @ Jun 29th 2007 2:33PM

@ihateemo

No, most homebrew sites will have the 3.50 upgrade with the downgrade files. No worries.

john @ Jun 29th 2007 2:34PM

Brandon @ Jun 29th 2007 5:57PM

Homebrew has be totally underwhelming to me. My brother did it, and there is very little that could be considered compelling.

ihateemo @ Jun 29th 2007 6:23PM

@GoBob

Thanks, I found the firmware online. :)

insert cool name @ Jun 29th 2007 9:10PM

when will they realise that we don;'t buy the "security" bullcrap? give us a reason to upgrade, that, or stop withholding features from us (ie, YouTube!)!

give us SOME incentive!

Glenn @ Jun 30th 2007 11:49AM

I just bought a PSP and have no idea how to download songs, movies, or anything. I cannot even get an idea how to get on the internet. Do not laugh but I am a college professor and wanted to see what the big deal is with these amazing machines. Can someone, please, give me a link to just learn the basics? Thanks.

xfdf @ Jun 30th 2007 5:16PM

When I downgraded my psp I bricekd it but..............
I had an Unbricker Program that runs on 3.50 that Dark Alex Created so now I have 1.5!

tenmohican @ Jun 30th 2007 7:24PM

The psp can connect to wifi networks and also home wireless networks. To connect to your own home wireless network you may have to walk yourself through the initial setup (if yuo have some sort of handshake protocol protecting your wireless network) which can be a lil tricky.

As for DL'ing stuff to your psp, you use the USB firewire that came in the box and connect it to your computer just as if its a portable harddrive. If you want to actually transfer stuff to your psp you need to put your psp into its receiving mode (should be on your psp menu ---> network ---> connect usb ?) Be aware that the psp requires special formats for video and can handle most types of audio (mp3 is probably most common format). If you have some music you burned to your computer into a mp3 format thos would work jsut fine.

As for the rest of what a psp can do, there is plenty of internet resources for taht if you wanna dig deeper. I dont suggest doing all the homebrew downgrading if your a real basic user on a psp as it can make your $170 device a $170 useless brick.

As for this 3.51 update... honestly no tyx sony. Put in better webbrowser support, more customization of the menus/psp, or at least some reason to upgrade. I have 3.50 atm, and dont plan on ever upgrading until something comes I cant live w/ ou (perhaps a GPS utility, picbridge usb support, a use for psp to ps3 linking updates, or even mobile telephony support! i would consider).

Glenn @ Jul 3rd 2007 5:28AM

@Brandon: I agree, since the only thing they're offering for the .01 update is to "strengthen security," I have no incentive to update it. I don't use homebrew, either.

@T3chn0: While I agree that Sony has a right to protect their own assets, why don't they just make the developer/customization stuff open to the homebrew people? The homebrew stuff that interest me aren't the pirated games, anyway.

@Glenn: I convert my own movies for the PSP using PSP Video 9 ( http://www.pspvideo9.com/ ). A Google search for tutorials should land you some fruitful results. I also rip my own CDs for MP3 music (I use CDEx for that). I hope you bought a large enough capacity Memory Stick Pro Duo.

Charles @ Jul 6th 2007 12:09AM

Gosh help! After I installed the update 3.51 the psp restarted and kept shutting off and on continuously. Now whenever I put a umd in it shuts off and does the same! Does anyone know why it does this?

NoName @ Jul 7th 2007 10:40PM

"When will the 3.51 downgrader come out?
JUST KIDDING.

It would be kind of sad that noobs who want homebrew missed out on the 3.5 downgrader. Thats probably the highest we will ever go."

Well, that was also said about version 3.0, and version 2.0. Hell, its been said about every version.. So psp modding noobs like me- dont get too pissed off that you upgraded your psp

rf @ Jul 13th 2007 3:32PM

i accidentally upgraded to 3.51 can i down grade to 3.50 then buy lumines to downgrade to 1.5 i want to be happy toooooooooooooooo (N)

Anton @ Jul 14th 2007 5:07PM

Yeah i accidentally upgraded to 3.51... and its been a living hell... so mutch security!! I cant run ANY ISOS AND HOMEBREW!!!
Oh yeah and 3.51 M33 came out... its like the best thing that ever happened to PSP system! Google it...
It plays ISOs, PSx, and homebrew. It does the same things as the 3.51 and you can even alter the processer speed! Its amazing as soon as i find a downgrader, im getting this...